Evelyn Tutorial, Part 3

Step 8: Lining Assembly

Lay your Top Zipper Panels (sewn to the zipper) bottom side down against the right side of a Bottom Lining panel, centering a long edge of the Top Zippered Panels along the top raw edge of the Bottom Lining. The zipper should be facing up. Pin or clip along the matched edge.

Sew along the matched edge at 1/2″ seam allowance.

Now pin a Top Lining panel right side down, matching the longest edge with the top straight edge of the Bottom Lining. The zipper will be sandwiched in between and against the top of the zipper (the zipper will be face up against the Top Lining).

Flip it all over and sew at a 1/2″ seam allowance, right over the existing stitching.

Press the seam flat, and the seam allowance upwards against the wrong side of the Top Lining.

Top stitch right along the seam, through the Top Lining and seam allowance. It’s practically invisible in this picture but I swear I am sewing right next to the seam.

We need to sew the remaining lining pieces to the other long edge of the Top Zipper Panels. Match and center the loose long raw edge of the Top Zipper Panels to the top straight edge of the remaining Bottom Lining. The bottom side of the zipper should be against the right side of the Bottom Lining, and the zipper should be facing up.

Sew along the matched edge at 1/2″ seam allowance.

It’s starting to get a little confusing, eh? Now you want to pin the remaining Top Lining to the top straight edge of the Bottom Lining, matching the longest edge of the Top Lining to the top edge of the Bottom Lining. The zipper panel will be sandwiched in between. The Top Lining will be against the top side of the zipper (zipper face up).

Flip over and sew at a 1/2″ seam allowance, right over the existing stitching. Then, press the seam allowance upwards against the wrong side of the Top Lining, then top stitch.

When you’re finished, your lining should look like this:

Step 9: Bag Assembly

We are going to sew the gusset to the Main Panels. Fold the Gusset in half matching the short ends and mark the center in the seam allowance of the Bottom Panel, on both sides. Your Main Panels should still have center marks from when we attached the Handle Stripes.

Match a marked center of the Gusset to the marked bottom center of an exterior Main Panel and pin (or clip). Then, match the right end of the Gusset to the top right corner of the Main Panel and pin. Repeat to pin the left end of the Gusset to the top left corner of the Main Panel.

Work your way around, pinning the Gusset to the Main Panel every 1″ or so. You’ll want to do the bottom curves last. Flex foam makes this very very easy. You want to keep in mind that the seam line (1/2″ in from edges) needs to match, not the raw edges.

With the Main Panel up, start at the top edge and sew all around the matched edges at 1/2″ seam allowance, down the side, across the bottom and up the other side, backstitching at start and stop.

Repeat to sew the remaining exterior Main Panel to the other long edge of the Gusset. Trim all seam allowances when you’re done, then turn right side out. Your bag should now look like a bag.

We need to repeat these steps to sew the lining Gusset to the lining panels (Top Lining and Bottom Lining together). It’s a little trickier because the lining is already assembled. Pin to one side, and clip the other Main Panel to keep it out of the way.

Pinning here is not as easy without the Flex Foam, just keep pinning until you get it. I like to use pins at corners and clips on straighter edges.

Sew the same way you did the exterior. I increase the seam allowance to about 5/8″ towards the bottom of the bag’s lining.

Repeat to sew the remaining Top/Bottom Lining to the other long edge of the lining Gusset, but leave a 6″ section unsewn along the Bottom Panel to turn the bag later. Make sure you backstitch really well at the turning hole. Trim seam allowances everywhere you stitched (not the turning opening).

Step 10: Sew Lining to Exterior

With the lining wrong side out and the exterior right side out, place the exterior INSIDE the lining. Match up all 4 top seams and pin. Then pin the entire way around, matching the raw edges. (Sorry, it seems I forgot to take a pic here)

Sew around the top at a 1/2″ seam allowance.

We are almost done!

You should have the 6″ turning hole on the outside.

Now the scary part… Pull the exterior of the bag out of the hole.

Keep going until the whole bag is right side out.

Turn the raw edges at the opening inward 1/2″ and press.

Pin the opening closed, matching up the two folded edges. Then edgestitch along the opening only to close it.

Press around the top of the bag, getting it as nice and flat as you can.

Top stitch around the entire top of the bag. I have a flatbed, so it’s easier for me to turn my back inside out and stitch from the inside.

Use your iron to press all of the side seams and bottom seams flat to help shape your bag.

This is it, this is how your bag is going to look.

And the inside…

Step 11: Handles

Last step! Fold a Handle in half wrong sides together, matching the long edges, and press to make a center crease.

Open and fold each long edge to the center crease, so the edges are butting together.

Fold in half again, hiding the long raw edges. Press. Your handle should be 1.5″ wide.

Repeat for the remaining Handle so you end up with two.

With a long stitch length, top stitch along each long edge of both handles.

Fold the end of a handle under 1/2″, then again 3/4″ and press. Slide the handle through a Connector on the exterior of the bag, and position the rectangle ring into the fold at the end. Pin, clip or glue the fold.

Repeat to attach the other end of the same handle to the other Connector on the same side of the bag. Make sure the handle isn’t twisted.

Now sew across a Connector, about 1/4″ from the fold on the bottom side, backstitch and sew again.

Repeat to sew the other end of the same handle, then repeat this step to sew the remaining handle to the other side of the bag.